7 Best Stand On Mowers in 2019

Stand on mowers are the new big “thing” in the lawn care industry. I’m sure you have seen plenty of them around your area. There are several reasons why people are beginning to switch to these mowers. In this article, I will discuss the benefits of a stand on mower, who a stander is for, and the best stand on mowers in 2019.

Why Stand On Mowers?

One word. Productivity. Stand on mowers allow you or your crews to be more productive and cut more grass in less time. They are quicker than zero turns and easy to maneuver around the obstacle.

Basically, stand ons allow you to get in and out of “zero turns” much quicker. The machine is shorter and weighs less so it is quicker to turn around. It is also quicker making quick cuts without tearing up the turf.

This has been a known problem and complaint of many zero turns. Turning too quickly or sharp can cause damage to the grass. This is much less likely on a stand on.

Another benefit that may appeal to larger crews is the ability to fit more on a trailer. You can easily fit three stand on mowers on a trailer that usually holds two zero turns.

Stand ons are also great for residential applications because getting on/off the mower in between yards is much faster. This may not seem like a huge deal but even 30 seconds per yard, when doing 30 yards a day is 15 minutes. 15 minutes a day for a week is over an hour. You get my point… even small amounts of time add up and lose money.

Overall, stand ons are time saving machines that do less damage to turf because of being lighter than a normal zero turn mower.

Who are Standers for?

Stand ons are actually appropriate in about every application except, for example, a huge field. They are more ideal for residential properties and commercial properties with many buildings, obstacles, etc.

When determining whether or not you should get a stand on or not you should take into account two things. How many “zero turns” will you be making and how many obstacles are in your mowing areas.

The more zero turns there is the more time you will save because a stand on is quicker out of their turns than a ZTR. The more obstacles there are will also add up time saved because of getting out of cuts quicker.

This is obviously a case by case basis but a stand on is suitable for so many applications. Having the excuse of “I don’t want to stand all day” isn’t a very good one since standing is actually better for you and a much more shock absorbable position than sitting.

Trust me, I know this first hand… Go ride a fixed frame machine for a week and then ride a stand on for a week to see for yourself.

Ferris Z2 and Z3X

The Ferris Z2 and the new Ferris Z3X are incredible machines. They are somewhat similar to the Wright standers with a couple of noticeable differences. They are actually my personal favorite stand ons for several reasons.

First, they have suspension in the standing platform. This makes the ride so smooth… almost like their zero turn mowers’ ride.

They also have an awesome two-position PTO feature. There is a sensor on the platform so when you step off the blades shut off but not the mower (instead of having to pull the parking brake, shut off the PTO, then get off the mower). This is a major time saving that you will find when using the mower.

The Ferris Z3X is also the only stand on in the industry that offers Vanguard Oil Guard as an engine option. This is a major time and money saver when it comes to changing the oil and engine longevity.

Finally, the mowers are very compact and quick. They have unreal power and probably the fastest stand ons I’ve been on. Especially the Z3… the thing goes 12 MPH. That’s fast standing up!

Wright ZK and X

Wright is the OG of stand ons. They were the first to come out with them and have continued to make an awesome machine for many years. The Wright ZK is there large mower and very similar to the Ferris Z3X. It is fast, compact, and a great overall mower.

They come in second for one reason and it’s because their controls are a little more difficult to use than the controls on Ferris. This is a small thing that takes getting used to but it doesn’t hinder the performance of the mower. It is a great design of a stand on. They are also the shortest stand on… that’s beneficial for trailer space, quickness, and navigating obstacles.

Personally, I’m not a fan of how the Wright mowers deck and engine are connected. Meaning when you lower the deck you also lower the engine. This causes the deck to be even heavier when raising and lowering it.

You definitely can’t go wrong with a Wright stand on. They are a proven mower than has many great features and offers an unbelievable cut.

Scag V-Ride II

The Scag V-Ride II is an incredible stand-on mower. The best part about this mower or any other Scag is the cut quality. These things lay down an amazing cut and flawless stripes. One complaint that I have about this mower is the pad that you lean against. It is kind of uncomfortable and not my favorite.

One minor flaw is having the one gas tank on the right side. It makes the mower very unbalanced on hills. This isn’t a huge problem but something that can make a little difference.

The V-Ride II is a HUGE improvement from the original V-Ride. It features a larger platform with smoother controls. It also has the platform sensor but unlike on the Ferris, the mower actually shuts off if the blades are on and you step off.

Toro Grandstand

The Grandstand mower has improved a ton over the past few years. It is a solid mower that has easy access for maintenance and has a great quality of cut.

A couple of complaints I see it a problem with weight distribution because of the fold-down platform. It causes too much wait on the back of the mower to cause the mower to “3 wheels” a lot of hills”. There are some weights you can put on the front to solve this.

Another minor problem is not having mud flaps. This kind of stinks if you are in any kind of terrain that may throw stuff on you. Also, many people use the wheel guards to stand on when mowing on hills to get more traction… this can’t be done on a grandstand.

I like how the gas tank is centered on the machine allowing the center of gravity to be balanced and low. This provides good traction on hillsides.

Overall, this mower is very good. It is quality built and does pretty well on hillsides and around obstacles.

Gravely Pro-Stance

The Gravely Pro-Stance is a solid machine that has a fair cut quality. I do have a few complaints about this mower though.

The length of the mower if very long… folding up the platform allows it to be shorter on trailers however it makes the mower slower on “zero turns.” The length of the mower does allow it to stick very well onto hills.

The gas tank is also centered on the rear wheels just like the Grandstand which is great for stability.

My favorite feature on this mower is the foot deck adjustment. Being able to raise and lower the deck with your foot while mowing is so convenient. It is much more difficult to do this with all of the other stand ons that only have hand deck adjustments.

Overall, this mower is pretty good. I would say if you can get a good deal on one then it is worth it but if prices are the same I would go a different direction.

Cub Cadet Pro X

The Cub Cadet Pro X mower is the new kid on the block. It is a brand new unit that was released at the 2019 GIE Expo. There are a lot of things you will like about this mower. The stand-on appears to be a good mix of the Wright, Scag, and Ferris mowers.

This stand-on may turn out to be the mower you’ve been waiting for. It has a suspension platform, adjustable thigh pad, amazing deck lift assist, and many more features. When you really dive into the details of this mower it is obvious that Cub Cadet really listened to their customer’s wants and needs.

The only question mark we have is the cut quality of this machine. We have no reason to doubt it, however, we have used other Cub Cadet units before that use a very similar deck design. Otherwise, this unit appears to be well built and has all the bells and whistles that we’ve been wanting.

Bad Boy Revolt

The Bad Boy Revolt stand-on mower came onto the scene in 2018. Overall, we have seen positive feedback from the unit. Spec for spec we would say the mower is comparable to the others on the list. There are a few things we would like to see improved like the height of cut adjustment and improved cut quality.

The best part about the mower is the price point. It is a low priced unit compared to similar 48″ and 54″ cut stand-on mowers.

Best Stand-On for Hills

One of the key advantages of a stand on over a zero turn mower is stability on hills. Every mower on the list above will probably outperform the majority of sit-on zero turn mowers on hill stability. There are two units that we think really come out on top when it comes to hills. These two units are the Wright ZK and the Ferris Z3X.

Which Stand On is Your Favorite?

That wraps up my thoughts on the stand on mower world. Which do you have or want? Which is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

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